The food was mediocre, the service - unwelcoming and unaware. There were two cooks standing en garde in front of the woodfire oven with nothing to do but stare out at the few unserved tables. A busser wandered around picking up on tables with no one sitting at them. Our waiter casually asked after 15 awkward minutes if anyone talked to us when we said no he simply asked if we were ready to order. I ordered an antipasto plate and it came out five minutes later with jarred pickled gardiniere, a pile of peperoncinis, sliced cheese, sliced prosciutto and salami. Our mains, spaghetti bolognese and seafood penne. The pasta bolognese was overcooked but the sauce had decent flavor. The penne seafood pasta looked like soup, the sauce was watery and it was more like fishing for food in the sauce. The restaurant has the ability to be a decent neighborhood spot in a high traffic area if there was some thoughtful management of the food and service. read more

Service- slow Lasagna - no meat Ambience- great Price- too much I wanted Italian food for Mother's Day weekend and I came across this place. That was highly recommended by several people. Was thoroughly disappointed for the lack of attention that was paid to me and my guest $32 for a meat lasagna, but you can't find the meat anywhere read more

Wonderful food, service and location. Everything about this restaurant is just wonderful. Best part was it made Valentines date super special, no line, no set menus and the atmosphere was enjoyable. read more

Very good food and service in a great setting. Always enjoyable for my entire family. Love to come here for lunch or dinner read more

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Wow!! Seriously, blown away by the flavor. Alfredo sauce like I've never had before. Absolutely so creamy and delicious. Great fried crab cakes. Carrot topping really tied it in. Moscato wine was off the menu and good. House margs with honey were strong and flavorful. Pizza delicious! read more

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Comparing the food from this restaurant to the ones I had in Italy, this restaurant's food was just average Italian American food. I mention in my previous review that their food was flavorful but that was because the chef added A LOT of chicken broth in the food. All the dishes I tried had very strong chicken broth taste in them! The food I had in Italy doesn't have that chicken broth taste, that's what authentic Italian food supposed to be like! Not to mention they overcharged me with high percentage of tips! The waitress seemed not very willing to serve me too, not sure if it is because they prefer to serve customer from Italian American community or what (I was the only Asian customer that night and I have been living in Albany for over 20 years.) I definitely will not return and will tell people that their food does not worth the bill I paid! read more

I hopped in here for a quick lunch when I was running errands in the area. I've strolled by this restaurant several times and dismissed it as a place that serves pasta and pizza, neither of which shows up on my menu these days. I had a hunch they had entrée salads on their lunch menu, and I was right. Maybe it was the Italianate strip mall decor that was the dead giveaway or perhaps the predominance of seniors dining here in their cleanest country club wear. I ended up ordering the $17 Grilled Salmon Salad which I thought was overprepared from the slightly arid salmon filet to the excessive toppings which included orange slices, pepperoncini, and candied pecans (photo). Probably not a new go-to place for me. FOOD - 3 stars...overcooked, overaccessorized salmon AMBIANCE - 3 stars...by-the-numbers Roma SERVICE - 3 stars...not intrusive TOTAL - 3 stars...middling for sure RELATED - Strolling Solano Avenue? Here's a collection of places I've tried and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2HvcTQH read more

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We came here because we were starving but also wanted to eat some Italian food. I did a quick search and found this place. Upon first glance I was really skeptical on coming here because it is small and we have a family member in a wheelchair. I let them know that we have someone in a wheelchair, so they made room and accommodated us very well. We have been here many times already and have had excellent customer service. We never feel rushed. Our server comes to our table at least 5 times throughout our meal to check on us and fill our water cups. So far we have tried the Cugini burger, Insalata Cesare, Mac and Cheese, Penne with Chicken, Spaghetti Alla Bolognese, Margherita pizza, ravioli, gnocchi, and the Pomodori e Mozzarella. Everything has consistently tasted great. However, I did not like the Penne with Chicken. There's something missing in that dish...it tastes funny to me. As someone that loves pesto, this did not satisfy my craving for it. Very disappointed. My number one favorite has to be the gnocchi. At some restaurants they make it so dense and heavy. At Cugini they make it light and fluffy like little potato pillows. All of their tomato sauce, marinara, gravy, whatever you call it is all very good. I'm prone to getting heartburn almost instantly with most sauces. But not here at Cugini. This is a heartburn free zone for me! I do not get dessert here as I think it is way too expensive for the portion you're getting. There's so many places to grab dessert in Berkeley and Albany. For once, skip the dessert. read more

One of the best Italian spots in the Bay Area! I've been coming here for years with my family for several occasions & have never been disappointed. From drinks to their incredible food I always want to come here for any reason :) They have opened much more seating outside which is so lovely during the day / especially with the summer weather. One of my favorite dishes has to be the pizzas. Their pastas are always so fresh & I always have to have their Cesar salad :) My yelp review is very over due / reading some of the reviews on here were surprising since I've been coming here 10+ years & none of the issues expressed have EVER happened. Some might say negative people will look for anything to complain about ? Family businesses aren't as common anymore especially after the pandemic & this one is by far one of the gems of Berkeley :) Thank you for being so wonderful Cugini :) Your loyal customers know what's real & what's not read more

Cugini draws a fun crowd! We were the only table not drinking a bottle at midday on a Sunday. It really made me question my choices for the day. The restaurant had a cute atmosphere and had the window open so that even though we were seated inside it felt like we were outdoors. To top it off, the day was sunny and breezy! Margherita pizza: 5/5 - Thin, crispy crust, stretchy cheese with each bite, and basil. What more do you need in life?? Rigatoni alla calabrese: 3/5 - sauce was a bit sweet. Felt like something that was made in our own cucina. Fried calamari: 2/5 for me, 5/5 for my SO - tasted like frying oil to me. Also not a fan of aioli so when I don't like the calamari I can't drench it in sauce to mask the taste. My bad for agreeing to order this. - my SO thought it was perfectly fried and crispy, and he's a big fan of aioli so this was the highlight of the meal for him. I wish they had more Italian sounding items on their lunch menu (lots of sandwiches and salads). Otherwise, it was a pleasant lunch and I'd love to try them for dinner sometime! They have a lot more pastas on their dinner menu. read more

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Fantastic food, great pizza!! Service and ambiance are superb !! I will definitely visit more often!! Owners are friendly and attentive!! Nice place!! I recommend !! read more

My fur baby and I were strolling along when I spotted this place. This is a very charming establishment. The staff are super friendly and pleasant. Get the hibiski whiskey! Super flavorful without drowning out the whiskey it's a beautiful delicious blend. I got the margarita pizza to go which was good but I'd like to try their ribeye next time. I'll be back to dine soon with friends. Definitely worth my time. read more

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Had dinner with the rents on a Sunday early evening. Everyone agreed that their food was a bit above average but nothing was great. Oh wait, the balsamic that was served with the bread was very tasty! I ordered an "effin good time" cocktail which was good as well. I also ordered the Calzone special which was huge and looked really good with a charred crust and it was nicely shaped. I used my knife and fork to cut open one end and took my first bite but quickly realized that the cheese wasn't completely melted and the spinach and sausage were warm at best. I so wanted to like it but never got there. Most went home and still haven't eaten it . I would give this place which we've been to several times over the years, a solid 3.5 stars. Mainly because of their drinks, service, wine list and their dessert selection. read more

Ordered on Uber Eats. Thank God I took pictures before I threw the food away. -Bread-was literally two pieces of bread ($4) that I ordered and was charged for. Probably not homemade, definitely no butter or olive oil. -Shrimp Alfredo- was so hot when it was delivered over 20 mins after pick up it had to be microwaved. The pasta and shrimp were both overcooked so much that the shrimp was tucked into a roll and not flat like a not overcooked shrimp should be. It tasted more like macaroni and cheese than Alfredo. -Spaghetti and Meatballs-Again overcooked microwaved pasta. 2 giant yucky meatballs that were not seared. So just grey yucky meatballs and overcooked pasta. -clams appetizer- so overcooked the clams were dried out. If you've ever had a normally cooked clam you know that they are plump and juicy. These were dry and stringy. YUCK! oh and the clams were so Smokey it tasted like you were eating a cigarette so much that it encompassed the smell of my apartment of smoke until I threw out everything including the bag it came in. What a better appetizer in your mouth than a cigarette. -the chocolate cake actually tasted good but when put in a bag with microwaved pasta heated to 1000 degrees it literally melted all of the way down and had to scrape it out of the box. Also, was what looks like a tiny piece for I think $13?!? Or at least it melted into a tiny blob. Threw away all of the food after taking a few bites. Will never go back. Thanks to Uber for the refund! read more

Every time we go to Cugini it's a treat. The service is always on par and the food is fresh and delicious. We shared eggplant Parmesan, cesar salad and the garlic bread. Amazing cocktails and overall 10/10 atmosphere. Really has a community feel to it as staff know their customers and treat them as family read more

Cugini Restaurant - Eggplant Parmesan - Italian Near Me - Albany, California

Solano has a great representation of restaurants concentrated on one street. Think International Blvd, but safe & you can go in the evening. The Cugini pasta was the favorite, creamy with a little heat but not too rich: fettucine, creamy tomato sauce, calabrese sausage, calabrese peppers, mushrooms, spinach, green onions Spaghetti & Meatballs - meatballs were a little bland, sauce was good could have used a little more Garlic Bread - soooo good! The Mozzarella makes it Portions are generous and service excellent, will definitely come back! read more

Cugini Restaurant - Spaghetti & meatballs, garlic bread & Cugini Pasta - Italian Near Me - Albany, California

We walked in at 5 on Mother's Day without a reservation (we had a back up plan just in case) and they couldn't have been nicer. They sat us, told us we had to be done by 6:30 and we said no problem we don't like to sit around! Eat and run is our motto. The food was excellent. The service was great and we had a nice Mother's Day dinner without a reservation! read more

Food can be better, more authentic. Raviolis are thick, chef knows it. Wonderful calamari but terrible aioli. They have no other sauces but I came up w a wonderful cocktail sauce with their ingredients: 1/2 catsup, 1/2 marinara sauce, tobacco to desire! Tastes amazing and really compliments the calamari!! No wow factor But I do love the bar read more

Such good service and great food. Outstanding performance from waiter. The ambiance of the place Was ok but i think about the food and service more and they killed it on that part. read more

apathy has no place in the hospitality business. we arrived for a very early dinner as our 6 year old son was hungry after the solano stroll. the reviews for this place repeatedly mentioned their kid's menu. so we decided to give it a try. there were about 3 table occupied, slow for this time of day. waiter takes our order, caesar salad, gnocchi w/pesto, eggplant parm and mac & cheese. salad came within about 10 minutes of ordering. the rest of the food took about 20+ minutes. waiter did not apologize or acknowledge that the food is taking forever, despite walking by several times. the busser, who was clearing a table next to us, asked if we wanted bread, something the waiter should have done 30 minutes earlier. finally, the food arrives. gnocchi and mac & cheese were swimming in sauce. tried the mac. weird that there was no cheese flavor, and had the consistency of ballpark nacho sauce. mac was overcooked. gnocchi was gummy and the pesto tasted old. my wife took literally one bite and left the rest. meal is over, waiter comes with the check and says absolutely nothing about the still full bowl of gnocchi. not one fuckin word, despite it being obvious it was not eaten. apathy will bring this place down. read more

Really bad service and food. Don't come here! We have come to this place here and there over the years and we have always wanted to like this place, but it's not possible. Today (the last time we will ever try), we arrived and were told that the wait would be 15-20 minutes. After 40 minutes we noticed that a couple of other tables were open and they started seating people who had arrived after us. When we asked the host how long the wait would be, she told us that it would be another 10-15 minutes. We crossed the street and went to Barney's instead. It Wasn't Italian food, but at least we got a table and friendly service. In the past, the food has been obviously not fresh. The pizza crust is always soggy and the pasta comes from a box. Not a good quality of food at all. read more

Dined at Cugini Restaurant with my family for dinner. The ambience was delightful, creating a pleasant atmosphere. However, the service was a bit slow; it took a while for them to take our order. The food, while okay, didn't quite justify the higher price point. Overall, a nice setting, but the combination of service delays and relatively high prices left room for improvement in the dining experience. read more

Excellent food; the risotto was outstanding, and service is quite solid; responsive without hovering. Good seating options for largish groups, and live music. Only knock is it's a bit noisy for me; most wouldn't probably agree. read more

Cugini Restaurant - Prawn risotto; note the properly sliced mushrooms. - Italian Near Me - Albany, California

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Kids always love coming to their favorite Italian place to order pasta, their bread and chocolate lava cake. read more

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Came here for the first time a few weeks ago and felt it necessary to leave a review so others can avoid the same experience. I contacted the restaurant via their website and they didn't respond. I believe I was served a regular-crust pizza when I ordered a gluten-free pizza.  When I first arrived, I asked about which of the pizzas could be gluten free. And when ordering, I asked for the gluten free crust twice. The pizza was delicious and I was a little suspicious that the crust was *too* good. But I figured since I had mentioned it three times to the same server in a non-busy time, he would get my order right. But when I got the bill, it just said 'Margherita pizza' with no mention of it being gluten-free and the extra GF charge ($4) was not on the receipt either.  I asked the server about it (man probably in his teens or 20s) and he said it was gluten-free although he seemed a little taken aback by the question.  I was skeptical since I assume what is on the bill is the same thing that gets sent to the kitchen.  In the middle of the night, I woke up with severe digestive issues and have been sick all day due to the presumed gluten exposure.  I don't like to complain, but this is very disappointing.  Food sensitivities are no joke and all staff should be trained to be very careful about such orders.  I understand that mistakes happen but I will now be paying for it, likely for days. read more

Excellent customer service. Food is amazing, one of my favorite places! Employees are always so polite.

The best Italian restaurant on Solano ave! Everything on the menu is so good. I recommend it. They have good cocktails and also really good wine. It's fun place. I've never bad experience here. It's fun place to go on date night or a group. Everyone who works there very friendly. The food is always so yummy and fresh. I'm always so happy when I go. read more

good food, i'm not sure how authentic they are, but i definitely enjoyed my meal. i went during december and there was fun holiday decorations that made it really fun read more

Very pleased with the overall experience! The calamari was very, very tasty, great proportion, beautiful presentation and it all came together in a lovely atmosphere. (Truly the best calamari I've ever eaten.). Our waitress was well informed about all the dishes and had great recommendations for my family members too. She also followed up a few times to make sure we had everything after getting our order. I was so full and satisfied I didn't save room for dessert-so I cannot comment on that. However I cannot speak more highly about their cocktails/ bar drinks! Very tasty, unique, and pretty to look out-absolutely delightful :) Highly recommend this spot! read more

This is a nice place to go with tasty food and good service. It does get very busy, with all tables filled, so if you want it quick, go early or order takeout! Nice casual ambience. read more

Food and service left us satisfied. They put a spin on some popular cocktails which was surprising but good. Indulged on the crab fettuccini and my partner had the cannelloni- both very delicious. They didn't skimp on the crab meat and it was a large serving. Saved room for dessert. Tiramisu was oh so good. read more

Cugini Restaurant - Tiramisu and Affogato - Italian Near Me - Albany, California

Had an absolutely amazing night out at Cugini. The staff were courteous and helpful, the bathrooms were clean, and the decor is lovely. We had the calamari, the prawn risotto and the chicken Alfredo. Everything was hot and delicious. We saw the salmon come out for the folks at a neighboring table and it looked amazing - will have to come back to try that. Drinks were strong and arrived promptly. Will definitely be back the next time I'm in town on vacation. read more

I had seen this place for years and always wondered how it was. I never got around to trying it until on a whim last weekend I finally went. It was fantastic - service was friendly and efficient, the Rigatoni and Canneloni pasta dishes we ordered were delicious and who doesn't love complimentary fresh warm bread and butter. Will definitely be back when in the mood for a good Italian meal. read more

Cugini Restaurant - Great Canneloni and good cocktail/drink options! - Italian Near Me - Albany, California

We've been going to this restaurant since they opened, but the last couple of times we went the food wasn't good. Same menu but just not good. Had to even send something back. The service is good but they must have a new chef. Very disappointed with the new changes. Won't be going back. read more

Excellent food!!! Had the Canaloni, very delicious! Great service, charming atmosphere! Will be back when in town!

Food and service was good. Staff on break noisy playying cards, very annoying. They were so noisy that it interfered with enjoying my dinner

Love the neighborhood. The staff is very knowledgeable about their menu and options available. Enjoyed the spinach salad and linguine and clams. The restaurant and bar has a great vibe for a neighborhood restaurant. read more

Haven't been to Cugini in a while since moving out of town, finally got to revisit it this weekend and OMG, the food and service is still outstanding. The specialty cocktails are so dangerously good. The pizza reminded me why I loved coming here in the first place. So much so that I had to get one to go They're a must visit when you're in the area !! read more

Been dining here since 2019. As always, the food, staff, and service are what you'd expect at a fine dining restaurant. The atmosphere of the restaurant itself brings out the best experience for everyone, whether you're at the bar, table, or booth. Can't wait til my next visit Cugini's! read more

Salty and pricey. The restaurant had nice ambience, and it seemed to be quite popular with seniors as we were the only couple in there under 60. The service was okay, but there were some communication problems pertaining to our order. Once the food came, we were excited as it looked very appetizing. However, the Cannelloni and Gnocchi were both very salty. The contrast between the sauce and the pasta wasn't enough to want to finish either dishes, and for the first time in a very long time, we decided not to get to-go boxes, and the cost of the dishes helped us decide not to return. Everything was pleasant but the food. read more

Cugini Restaurant - Gnocchi - Italian Near Me - Albany, California

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